Improvement in corn-planters



J. KELLY.

Corn-Planter.

No. 218,633. Patented Aug. 19; I879.

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N, PETERS, 'FHOTO-LITNDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D O) UNITED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KELLY, OF TROY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND A. T. BEEDLE, OF SAME PLAOE.

IMPROVEMENT |N CORN-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,633, dated August 19, 1879 application filed June 9, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN KELLY, of Troy, Miami county, Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Corn-Planters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in certain improvements upon the corn-planter for which Letters Patent were granted to me June 3, 1879, numbered 216,041; said improvements consisting in the employment of a seed-plate toothed on its under face, and rotated by verticallyswinging pawls, weighted at their rear ends, in connection with lugs or shoulders arranged to depress the rear ends of the'pawls and insure the engagement of their forward ends with the plate.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a top view of the dropping mechanism, with part of the dropper-plate broken away, so as to dis close the pawls underneath, with the feedboxes above removed. Fig. 2 representsthe under side of the upper plate, that covers the reciprocating slide, and that serves as the bottom of the feed-boxes, upon which the dropperplate rotates. Fig. 3 is a top view of the slide in position, with its pawls, as the same appears when the plate that forms the bottom of the seed-box is removed. Fig. 4. is a crosssection of the feeding mechanism, designed to show the operation of the pawls; and Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the same when the dropper-plate is in situation over the hole beneath, ,to allow the dropping of the corn.

In the drawings, A represents the bottom plate of the feeding mechanism, on which the reciprocating slide operates. B represents the upper plate or cover, that serves to cover over the reciprocating slide-bar, and at the same time serves as the bottom of the feedbox and a support for the reciprocating dropper plate. 0 represents the reciprocating slide-bar, \vhichis operated, in the usual manner, by a boy riding on the machine, through the means of a lever. D represents the revolving dropper-plate.

On either side the slide-bar contains, at O, a seat for the pawls 0, one on either side, which actuate the revolving dropper-plate. These pawls are shown supported upon the trunnions (I, one end being considerably heavier than the other, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to preserve the position of the pawl by gravity. It is found, however, that sometimes when the planter is left in the field and becomes damp by rain or dew, the pawl becomes rusted in its socket or seat, so that gravity will not restore it to its position when the bar slides back to prepare for the next forward movement of the revolving dropper-plate. I have, therefore, in this device that I show, beveled the upper edge of the heavy part of the pawl at 6, Figs. 3 and 4, and have cast upon the under side of the upper plate, B,-lugs F, outwardly beveled, and in such relative position to the line in which the pawls move that when each pawl slides back to prepare for a forward movement of the revolving dropper-plate this beveled lug as will come in contact with the beveled upper edge of the heavy part of the pawl, thereby, by a positive action, forcing down the heavy part of the pawl, if it-has become rusted or in any way kept from moving by gravity, so as to bring the forward part of the pawl to its proper position to engage with the tooth of the under side of the dropper-plate when the bar is next moved.

It is found in practice that this device obviates a defect in the former that often had the result to leave many hills unplauted by reason of the non-action of the pawls.

When the planting mechanism is fitted with this simple device it improves the action of the pawls. They are sure to act on each movement of the slide-bar, and thereby discharge the corn with perfect regularity as each succeeding check-row is passed.

1 am aware that a horizontally-acting pawl has been forced into action by means of an incline thereon acting against a stop. My device differs therefrom in that the pawls act vertically, and are extended backward and weighted at the rear ends, and thatthe operating-lugs are specially arranged and located to act upon the rear end.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the rotary plate, having teeth on the under side, the reciprocating frame, the vertically-acting pawls weighted at their rear ends, and the lugs arranged to act upon and depress the rear ends of the pawls, and thereby elevate their forward ends, as described and shown.

J OHN KELLY.

Witnesses:

J N0. E. LUTHER, ROSWELL GIBBS. 

